Unrecognized
by Ellina Kayde
Summary: Piper always knew she was taken for granted. She just never thought that she would find the courage to do something about it. - multi-chapter story; implied Aerrow x Piper; rated T to be safe *ON HIATUS*
1. Take Care

**Hey, people! So, yeah, this is my first SH fic and it mostly centers around Piper. I'm guessing it will mostly be 3rd person point of view cuz I want to be able to show each character's thoughts. If you have me on author alert b/c you're waiting on a sequel to my Sisters Grimm fic, don't worry, it's coming! I just had this idea for a story and I had to put it into words. If you haven't read my SG fic and have read the Sisters Grimm books, go ahead and find the story on my profile and tell me what you think!**

**I would like to dedicate this story to **darkmistress in the shadows**, my favorite SH author who has inspired me to write this fic. I would also like to thank her for writing "Twenty Things" which helped me with Piper's thoughts on Aerrow. If you haven't read her stories, you don't know what you're missing!**

**Now on with the story. Enjoy! :-)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Storm Hawks. Never have, never will.**

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**Chapter 1: Take Care**

Piper grunted and lazily wiped away the drool that had found its way down her cheek sometime during the night. Stifling a yawn, she tucked a lock of her midnight blue hair behind her ear and sat up, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness that surrounded her. She peered across the dark room that she was in to the opposite wall where a small clock was mounted. She could barely make out the small numbers that the clock hands pointed to: 4:54 am.

Even though the whole ship was usually completely silent and inactive at this time in the morning, this was usually the time at which Piper preferred to start her day. In fact, it was for that very reason that Piper would force herself awake at such an early hour: the silence. It was the only peaceful time of the day, and it just became more and more routine for her to begin her day around five in the morning. Of course her fellow squadron members found out about her early morning starts and thought she was crazy, but Piper didn't mind.

Not able to stifle another yawn, Piper lifted a hand to her mouth and flipped on the nearby light switch. She squinted at her now illuminated surroundings and realized that she had fallen asleep at her desk while she was studying the effects of various crystal combinations... again. It wasn't really unusual for her to be overwhelmed by her exhaustion while hunched over her desk, pouring over stacks of her own handwritten notes on crystals. Actually, Piper spent most of her nights slumbering at her desk, despite the fact that Aerrow had specifically told her not to, saying that her back muscles would be sore in the morning and that she would not get a good night's sleep, especially with waking up so early. Thinking of her leader, Piper let a small smile spread across her face as she slid off of the small stool that was always positioned at her desk and sleepily walked towards the door that led out of her room. Knowing that she was too accustomed to waking up so early in the morning to be able to fall back asleep, the dark-skinned girl slipped silently out of her room and into the abandonned hallway of the _Condor_.

Piper groped along the dark hallways of the _Condor_, feeling along the cold, metal walls for guidance as she slowly made her way towards the kitchen for breakfast. She never really pigged out for breakfast and would usually just get an apple or something that would help her hold off her hunger until lunch. Once in the kitchen, Piper sighed in relief, happy that she hadn't awakened anyone else on board. She was feeling very pleased with herself until she turned on the overhead light and saw-

"Aerrow!"

Said Sky Knight turned his head slightly to give Piper a scornful smile, his fiery red hair glinting in the light. Piper blushed and quickly looked down at her bare feet, not wanting to meet Aerrow's eyes as she struggled to come up with an excuse for being awake so early in the morning. She knew good and well that Aerrow had told her the night before to stop her unhealthy habit of getting out of bed during the early hours of morning, and the guilt was evident in her eyes as Aerrow took a few steps towards her, his smirk still in place.

"Piper..."

Piper suddenly looked up at him, meeting his emerald eyes with her guilt-filled orange eyes. "Uh... I was just getting a glass of water, really!"

He wasn't buying it. "Piper, this is just unhealthy."

"What's unhealthy?" she asked innocently.

Aerrow's smirk only grew. If anyone could tell when this girl was lying, it was him. He merely shook his head and took her by the shoulders, turning her back towards the hallway.

Despite the fact that Piper was desperately digging her heels into the ground, Aerrow, whose strength easily overpowered hers, succeeded in pushing her almost halfway back to her room before Piper was able to briefly overpower him, turning on him and stopping them both in their tracks. Aerrow raised an eyebrow at her, as if asking, "_Are you sure you want to go against me?_"

Piper, now with all seriousness, gave him a firm look. Careful to keep her voice low for the sake of her other slumbering friends, she said, "Come _on_, Aerrow! What are you, my father?"

Aerrow only shook his head at her again as he replied in the same quiet tone, "No, but I am your leader and your friend, and as your friend, I'm telling you to go back to your room and get some sleep." After hesitating for a moment, he added, "And not hunched over your desk like you usually do."

Piper stood her ground and did not dare move an inch. "Well, as a _friend_, I'm telling you to not worry about me. I can take care of myself."

Aerrow snorted in response.

Seeing this, the girl narrowed her eyes at him angrily. "What is that supposed to mean? I can!"

But Aerrow wasn't going back and forth any more. Taking her by the shoulders a bit more forcefully this time, he turned her back towards her room and, feeling her shoulders slouch in surrender, proceeded to guide her the rest of the way to her room with a triumphant smile on his face. After the door closed behind them, Piper shrugged Aerrow's hands off of her shoulders, crossing the small room to her bed and sitting on it in a cross-legged position, turning her head away from Aerrow as if he was the one who had done something wrong.

Aerrow only chuckled at his friend's stubborn nature. He knew he would never be able to fully understand her, no matter how hard he tried. One minute she was shy and gentle, the next angry, and the next minute, completely silent. He had never met anybody with so many different sides to them.

Piper finally broke the silence. "I _can _take care of myself, you know."

Aerrow, suddenly feeling a bit guilty himself, heard the deflated tone in her voice and walked over to sit beside his teammate. The girl still refused to look at him, but all of her defenses fell when he placed a warm hand on her shoulder and gave her one of his crooked smiles. Piper met his gaze and mentally cursed herself for giving in so easily to him. No matter how hard she tried, she could not ignore the way her heart rate increased when he smiled at her like that.

After a moment in this position, Piper looked back down at her lap and said, "I _can_."

Aerrow's hand did not move from her shoulder. "You can't take care of yourself if you don't know what's best for you."

It was Piper's turn to snort as she shifted her gaze to meet his. "And you do?"

Aerrow finally removed his hand from her shoulder, taken aback for a moment. Then he lifted himself from her bed, turning to look at her as his smile returned and he said, "As a matter of fact, I think I do. And one of the things that are best for you is at least eight hours of sleep every night, something you haven't gotten in a while."

The girl huffed childishly in defeat. "_Fine_."

Satisfied, Aerrow silently crossed the room, turning out the lights and closing the door on his way out.

Piper, unmoving, waited a few moments, listening intently. She heard his footsteps fade as he continued down the hallway and, a few moments later, she heard them stop and start again as a door down the hall opened and closed.

She then wasted no time in carefully crossing the room to her door, intending to return to the kitchen, but silently cursed her leader when she found he had locked the door from the outside. Why did he have to be so difficult?

The dark-skinned girl let out a puffy-cheeked sigh, turning back around to face her room sadly. _Now what? _she thought to herself as she leaned against her sealed door. She glanced over at the clock again; it was only 5:06. After weighing each of her options in her mind, she decided that she might as well try to take Aerrow's advice to get some sleep. Reluctantly walking back over to her bed, Piper laid down and pulled the thin sheets up to her chin.

After about half an hour of lying on her side with her eyes closed, Piper realized that she wouldn't be able to fall asleep no matter how hard she tried, so she settled on lying on her back and just resting. Soon her thoughts drifted to her teammates.

Wanting to lighten her mood, Piper turned her thoughts to Junko. She couldn't help smiling when she thought of the wallop. He was such a gentle giant, always showing concern when one of his teammates was in distress. When Piper had first laid her eyes on him, she had thought that he would be like all of the wallops she had... well... read about. All of the books she had read about Terra Wallop said that most wallops were extraordinarily strong, not very bright, and were never very friendly. But Junko managed to prove the books wrong. Yes, he was strong, but he was one of the most sensitive, caring creatures she had ever met and was considerably intelligent for his race.

Then Piper's thoughts turned to Finn. _Finn_. Piper had never had so many mixed feelings about a person. Sometimes, just the mention of his name caused her to grind her teeth together in disgust. At other times, her whole expression would soften at any thought of him. Piper's reaction to him pretty much depended on how their last conversation had gone, and, as much as Piper hated it, most of their conversations were filled with mockery and offensive words. This meant that most of the time, Piper could only think of Finn with distaste.

But the sharpshooter and the navigator did have a conversation every once in a while that wouldn't end with an insult, and secretly, she treasured these times. It wasn't very often that they could have a conversation without a nagging comment from Piper or a smart-mouth comeback from Finn, but there were the good times... Piper just couldn't think of any at the time.

Not wanting to dwell on the unpleasant, Piper began to think of Radarr. There wasn't much to say about the furry little co-pilot, seeing as he couldn't say anything himself. In a way, it was a good thing that Radarr couldn't talk because he had never really succeeded in offending Piper, something all of the other Storm Hawks had succeeded in doing, even Aerrow.

_Aerrow_. Sky Knight, leader of the Storm Hawks, a hero known throughout the Atmos- he had everything he could ever ask for. No one on the _Condor_ could ever find any negative aspect about him, nor would they. No one but Piper. Although she never advertized any of the negative points she saw in him to anybody, there were many things about the young Sky Knight that would annoy her to no end. Of course there was the fact that he always seemed to get the credit for everything, everything meaning every rescue, mission, and successful attack the Storm Hawks had accomplished _together_.

And that wasn't the only thing about Aerrow that Piper hated. There was also the fact that he thought she was helpless- that she couldn't take care of herself. He had said it just that morning. For example, there was that time after Piper had first faced off against Cyclonis, or _Lark_. He had come to her room and asked if she was alright, and even after she said she was, he continued to give her that uncertain look that said, _I don't believe you_. She _could_ take care of herself, she knew she could. And besides the fact that he saw her as helpless, he also tended to side with Finn during their many arguments, he never did complete her plan correctly, and when she needed backup, he gave it to Starling instead...

Piper guessed that Starling could be considered a Storm Hawk as well... at times. She just didn't think that it was fair that Starling wasn't even there half the time and she still received way more admiration and credit than anyone else on the _Condor_, not including Aerrow of course. Piper really did admire Starling for her many accomplishments, but just like anyone else on the airship, she had a few negative aspects about her.

Finally, her mind was filled with thoughts of Stork. The merb was quite... unique. His extreme case of paranoia could without a doubt bring out the bad side in him, which could be highly disturbing, but sometimes, it was his many phobias and precautions that kept the rest of the squadron alive. When Piper was out roaming the skies on her heliscooter with the rest of the guys, it was always comforting to know that Stork was somewhere nearby, piloting the _Condor_ and ready to strike down any threat that might unexpectedly rise out of the clouds. She had always been sure that he would not only go to great lengths for his own safety, but for the welfare of his friends, which was a very touching thought. Yes, Stork had always been a very loyal member of the Storm Hawks, no matter how much he was taken for granted.

_Poor Stork_, Piper thought to herself. He was indeed taken for granted, standing at his post day after day, his only goal being to get through another long day safely. Even though the merb insisted that he would much rather stay on the _Condor_ than be part of the real action, Piper couldn't see how he could prefer such an uneventful life. It wasn't uncommon for her to feel compassion towards him, and for this reason she was really the only one on the airship who showed her appreciation for him daily. Of course Aerrow might compliment him on his piloting skills every once in a while, but other than those few times, Piper would be the only one to commend him on his job well done. Overall, the main reason Piper felt sorry for Stork was because they had something in common that the other members of the Storm Hawks didn't: They were both taken for granted.

Oh yes, both the pilot and the navigator of the Storm Hawks were taken for granted. When other squadrons as well as civilians saw that the Storm Hawks had saved the day again, they would think of Aerrow, the Sky Knight, or Junko, the wallop, or even Finn, the not-so-heroic sharpshooter, but everyone always seemed to look down on Piper and Stork as just the crew and not the cast, and most of the time, those people might even include their own teammates.

Piper knew that both she and Stork had unrecognized talents... Well, she wasn't quite sure what talents Stork might be hiding, but she knew that she had abilities none of the Storm Hawks really looked at as useful. She could refine raw crystals, put a Torka Beast to sleep, heck, she could even speak five different languages! But she doubted that even one of the Storm Hawks knew, let alone cared. She just felt so... _unrecognized_.

Aerrow's words were the last things that entered her mind before Piper unexpectedly drifted to sleep: _You can't take care of yourself if you don't know what's best for you._

Piper had no idea how her life would change later on just because she decided to listen to him. One of these days, she _would _do what was best for herself, whether it was good for the Storm Hawks or not.

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**So what did you think? Love it? Hate it? Think I should continue? Hit that little review button and let me know!**

**- Elli**


	2. The Wayside

**Hey, everybody! First off, I would like to thank my wonderful reviewers for... uh... reviewing! You guys rock!**

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**Okay, I'm done. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Storm Hawks or any of its characters, locations, etc.**

**Chapter 2: The Wayside  
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Piper was awakened by the quiet but clearly audible sound of a lock clicking open. Looking towards the door that led out into the hallway, the girl smiled excitedly to herself as she realized that she was finally being allowed to leave her room to begin yet another day on the _Condor_. She wasted no time in rising from her bed and walking briskly to the door, which, to her satisfaction, opened at her approach. Walking into the hallway, Piper was just able to catch a glimpse of Aerrow turning towards the bridge and walking out of sight. She frowned slightly. She wasn't done with him just yet.

The dark-skinned girl arrived on the bridge to find Stork piloting the airship at his usual position and Aerrow leaning against the main table in the center of the room, looking smug. Guessing that her other teammates hadn't awakened yet, Piper looked at the clock curiously. To her dismay, the small hand was directly between the seven and the eight while the longer hand had almost reached the six, which caused her frown to deepen. It was a two and a half hour difference from her usual routine!

Placing her hands on her thin hips, Piper cleared her throat loudly and glared at Aerrow, who turned to look at her with a mock look of surprise on his face, acting as if he hadn't even noticed her arrival until that moment.

Aerrow gave her a playful smile and said, "Good morning, Piper. I hope you slept well."

Piper snorted and crossed the bridge to stand in front of him. "Oh, _yes_, I definitely slept well. As a matter of fact, not only did I sleep well, but I also _over_slept. It's 7:30!"

Aerrow rolled his eyes at this comment and replied, "Piper, first of all, it's only 7:28,-"

The girl crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow at his smart aleck comment, but patiently allowed him to continue.

"-and second, it's completely normal for someone to wake up at this time. Radarr, Junko, and Finn aren't even awake yet." At that very moment, Aerrow's furry little co-pilot scampered into the room and climbed nimbly onto his leader's shoulder. "Er, make that just Junko and Finn."

Stork, who had been quiet since Piper entered the room, took that opportunity to intervene in the quarrel between the two sixteen-year-olds. He suddenly appeared at the navigator's shoulder saying, "He's right, Piper. Besides, a severe lack of sleep could result in," he shuddered as he took in a sharp breath, "mindworms." His left eye twitched as he spoke the last word.

Piper, seeing no point in attempting a comeback, rolled her eyes once more as she crossed to the other side of the bridge. She leaned on the large window and looked out into the cloudless sky. It seemed to go on forever. Lightly touching her forehead to the cool glass, she let out a small, inaudible sigh and continued to look out into the expansive sky that loomed over the great land that was called Atmos.

Aerrow could not have stopped his eyes from following Piper as she crossed the bridge even if he wanted to. She did it so effortlessly, with seemingly unattempted grace. He noticed the fact that the unique build of her body differed greatly from any of his other teammates. She seemed so fragile, so easily breakable, but looks were deceiving, especially in her case. From the few brief glances he had managed to throw her way during a battle, the Sky Knight was able to see that the navigator was completely capable of holding her own against her numerous unsuspecting opponents. Aerrow knew he was indeed stronger than her, and his enemies realized this as well, but Piper had always had something on her side that Aerrow didn't: the element of surprise. No one who had ever targeted her in battle as an easy kill would have ever guessed that the girl possessed the strength she had. Not even Aerrow knew what she was fully capable of.

The teenager soon brought himself back down to earth, tearing his gaze away from the dark-skinned girl who he had been watching for the past few minutes. He had to focus on more important matters.

Aerrow walked over to where Stork was standing. "Stork, what's our status?"

The Merb's eye twitched rhythmically as he answered in a low tone, "Well, my rash hasn't spread any farther, but it happens to be the mindworms' breeding season." He averted his eyes from the front window for a moment to eye Aerrow in a cautious manner. His tone became even lower as he added, "I suggest we all get vaccinations."

Aerrow rubbed the back of his neck slowly and uncertainly. "Uh, I meant the _ship's_ status, Stork. Fuel for the engine, energy crystals..."

Relaxing a bit, Stork turned his eyes back to the sky as he replied in an unconcerned manner. "Oh... We have enough energy crystals to last another week or two, but we're low on fuel." His speech suddenly quickened and his knees knocked together slightly as he continued, "We'll only be able to fly for another five hours before the engine dies and we fall to our painful deaths in the Wastelands, where our bodies will slowly disintegrate. I bet my mindworm helmet will melt as well..."

There was an awkward silence before Aerrow gingerly patted the trembling Stork on the back and said, "Yeah...Thanks for the update."

The pilot's eye finally ceased it's twitching and his shoulders slouched as he responded. "No problem."

Shivering a bit, Aerrow walked back over to the table where Piper's charts were neatly laid out. He placed one hand on the table and used his other hand to stroke his chin thoughtfully as he tried to think of anything else they were in need of at the time. After a moment, he realized that there hadn't been a lot of food left to choose from when he had gone to the kitchen for breakfast that morning. Come to think of it, if there wasn't much food left in the kitchen, Finn and Junko would probably make quick work of what little food they did have left, cleaning them out by dinner.

_It would probably be best to stop at the Wayside_, Aerrow thought to himself as he searched the maps for any nearby rest stops or refueling joints. The Wayside seemed to be a good place to refuel, and it also had a diner, so Finn and Junko would be satisfied for the time that they would be there. Aerrow imagined the unpleasant scene of his two friends in an all-you-can-eat diner and suddenly felt very sorry for the unfortunate people who would have to witness it.

The sixteen-year-old chuckled silently to himself as he further searched for a way to travel to the Wayside quickly and without incident. He preferred to arrive there to refuel within the next three hours. Breakfast never kept Finn and Junko full for long, and Stork began to have convulsions within two hours of the engine failing. Aerrow looked at the area they were flying in and sighed quietly as he realized that the only way to get to their destination within three hours would be to venture across Terra Bluster, which was currently controlled by Cyclonian forces.

No matter how long he looked for a way around Bluster, the young Sky Knight couldn't find a single safe route. He knew that he must have been pondering different ideas for a while because he soon noticed that Radarr was no longer on his shoulder. Aerrow's little friend had probably grown impatient and wondered off to another room. Normally Aerrow would have asked Piper for help by then, but he knew that she wasn't exactly happy with him at the moment, and it didn't seem like a good idea to approach her. But negotiating with her would be for the good of his squadron. Rising from his crouched position over the table, Aerrow finally looked towards his navigator, who had not moved from the window.

"Hey, Piper, I need your help plotting these coordinates. We need to get to the Wayside for fuel and some restocking, preferably within the next three hours, but I don't think we would be able to do that without flying through Cyclonian territory."

Hearing his voice directed her way, Piper lifted her head from the glass and turned towards the redhead. She merely nodded in reply and silently walked back over to his side. She placed one hand on the table, leaning on it for support as her eyes slowly scanned the map that was laid out in front of her. Suddenly she felt a warm hand on her shoulder and looked up to find Aerrow looking at her from the corner of his eye. It was sort of like a silent compromise. He gave her a small smile, which she returned, as if to say that the meaningless little quarrel was behind them.

Then they were back to work, pouring over the maps in front of them, each of them breaking the silence every once in a while to suggest a different route. Of course there would be Stork's occasional input about some rare disease that they would all be diagnosed with and Radarr would scamper into the room every ten minutes or so, but other than these small interruptions, it was peaceful, just the way Piper liked it.

She should have known it was too good to last.

"PIPER! WHERE'S BREAKFAST?"

Piper inwardly cringed and cursed silently as both she and Aerrow rose from the table to look towards the hallway from which Finn's obnoxious voice had come. He was probably in the kitchen.

Piper was about to go back to work as if nothing had happened, but then she felt that hand on her shoulder again. She looked to her leader with a look of loathing on her face. Aerrow looked back at her with a look that seemed to say, _Please, just one more time?_

The girl paused for a moment before giving in with a sigh and walking towards the kitchen, leaving Aerrow to perfect the route that she had suggested. This was the usual routine for the morning. Finn would expect breakfast from her, she wouldn't reply, and then Aerrow would give her that look. To Piper's dismay, it worked every time.

As soon as she entered the kitchen, Piper was greeted with Finn's usual question: "What's for breakfast?"

Piper bit her tongue and paused before an insult could escape her lips. She took a deep breath and answered, "I don't know. What do you want?"

The sharpshooter shrugged and gave her a joking smile. "Anything edible."

Piper let a small smile cross her face and wordlessly began to fix breakfast. Cooking for her teammates really wasn't as bad as she made it seem. The task was simply tedious and got very old, but she knew she would do anything for any one of her friends.

Yes, even Finn.

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About an hour later, everyone had had breakfast and Piper had set a relatively safe course for the Wayside. The _Condor_ would probably fly dangerously close to Terra Bluster, but if any trouble were to come, Aerrow, Junko, and Finn had their skimmers ready.

Aerrow's expectations had been met, for soon after Junko had woken up to join Finn for breakfast, the kitchen had been wiped clean of food, meaning they would have to arrive at the Wayside as soon as possible.

There really wasn't anything of importance to be done on the airship, so the Storm Hawks merely sat around, doing nothing in particular. Aerrow stood in front of the main window of the ship, on the lookout for any unexpected threats. Radarr sat obediently on his shoulder. Finn had his head in one of hands, his elbows propped on the main table of the bridge, his eyes pointlessly following a small bug that had been flying in repeating circles for the past few minutes. Junko sat in his room, sorting through the endless pile of metal scrap that had been slowly growing for the past two months. Stork hadn't moved at all that day. He insisted on staying on the bridge to monitor the ship's position. Piper contentedly remained in her lab, tinkering and experimenting with her various crystals to pass the time.

The _Condor_ eventually passed Terra Bluster without incident and, about an hour later, the Wayside came into view. Finn and Junko were practically foaming at the mouth at the sight of the mid-sized diner that was at the center of the small terra. As soon as the airship landed on one of the many runways, the sharpshooter and the wallop rushed off of the ship and were inside the diner within seconds.

Aerrow and Piper only laughed as they watched their teammates from the bridge. Getting his breath back, Aerrow turned to his navigator.

"Well, I guess it's just you, me, Stork, and Radarr on restock duty."

Stork cleared his throat loudly and said, "I would rather stay here on the ship to just... you know..."

Aerrow chuckled. "All right then, Stork. You can stay on the ship."

The merb let out a sigh of relief.

The Sky Knight turned back to Piper, who only smiled at him. "If it's just you, me, and Radarr, we had better get started," she said.

Aerrow smiled back down at her, glad that she was okay with the situation. With Radarr on his owner's shoulder, they walked down the main hallway and off of the _Condor_. As they started down the runway, Piper was the first to spot a familiar violet-haired Sky Knight at the near edge of the terra looking intently towards them as she began to walk briskly in their direction.

"Hey," she began uncertainly, "is that Starling?"

Aerrow soon recognized Starling as well as she met them halfway down the runway. "Starling! We didn't expect to see you here." As the young woman got closer, he was confused by the worried look in her deep green eyes.

Before he could ask what was wrong, Starling responded. She didn't waste any time on a friendly greeting. "Something's wrong. Something's very wrong."

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**Yeah, kind of boring, I know. But don't worry, there's more to come! PLEASE review if you read this! I don't care if you loved it, hated it, or whatever. Constructive criticism is welcome. Be on the lookout for the third chapter! There might actually be a plot! *gasp***

**- Elli**


	3. Missing Guardians

**Hey, guys! I know, I have some serious explaining to do.**

**I'm really, really, REALLY sorry for not updating for such a long period of time. There really is no excuse for it. It's just that everything seems to be happening at once. Exams came soon after I posted the last chapter, I was selected to represent my school at a literary rally, I have had volleyball tournaments almost every weekend, and on top of that, my family has recently taken in a stray dog and deemed it my responsibility to take care of him. You can see his picture on my profile if you want to.**

**But not to worry, I am here now, and with a new chapter! Before I begin the chapter, I would like to thank my wonderful reviewers:**

**- **Katie**: Okay, if you come at me with a hammer, I have my frying pan ready Lol. Well, here's the update!**

**- **Flame Soldier**: You'll find out in this chapter :-)**

**- **JezFez81**: Yeah, don't we all want to? Lol thanx!**

**- **Laurisa**: You'll just have to keep reading and see what happens! ;-)**

**- **Magus732**: Read to find out!**

- LostLyra**: Yay, I'm on someone's Favorites! Thanx so much!**

**- **girlwhodwellsinherownworld**: I was hoping that I didn't leave you in too much suspense! If I did, sorry! And again, truly sorry for posting it later than sooner!**

**Also, I am still accepting requests for anyone who would like for me to advertise their story in my [rediculously long] A/N's. Nobody requested anything when I posted this notice in the last chapter, but if you would like me to, just let me know in your review!**

**All right, then, on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Storm Hawks or any of its characters, locations, etc. I only own the plot (THERE'S ACTUALLY A PLOT NOW! BRACE YOURSELF!)**

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**Chapter 3: Missing Guardians**

Piper and Aerrow quickened their pace to match Starling's as they followed her along the runway and back towards the _Condor_. After the worried-looking twenty-one-year-old had told them that there was some kind of trouble, she had only said that they should get back to the airship. The younger Sky Knight and his navigator had exchanged troubled looks, but both followed their older friend without question, assuming it would be unwise not to.

As the three of them boarded the ship by way of the hangar, Piper was first to question the older Sky Knight.

"Shouldn't we get the rest of the guys before you explain anything?" the girl asked tentatively. Even though Finn and Junko were obnoxious, Piper was reluctant to leave the rest of the team out.

Starling didn't even bother to answer Piper's question. She whirled around to face her in an almost furious manner. "Set a course for Terra Rex."

Piper took a small step backwards, taken aback by Starling's forcefulness. She had never seen her like this before. She shifted her gaze towards Aerrow, hoping that he would tell Starling that he would prefer that his navigator would be included, but he didn't even look at her. His gaze remained on his fellow Sky Knight.

Deeply offended, Piper turned around silently and exited the hangar, her reluctant footsteps on the metal floor being the only sound in the room. She refused to look back over her shoulder as she passed through the doorway. Inclining her head forward in silent defeat as the door closed behind her, the dark-skinned girl pressed a hand to her forehead as she started towards her room.

Suddenly, Piper had an idea. Perking up slightly, she turned and walked not to her room, but to the kitchen. There she carefully kneeled next to the far wall, which had a large vent built into it, obscured from sight by the kitchen table. This particular vent was only used during cold winters on the _Condor_ to generate heat. Connected to this vent system were several others, all leading to various rooms, including the hangar.

Piper leaned against the wall, carefully pushing the table out of the way and lightly pressing her right ear to the small slots in the vent. She smiled to herself when she was just able to hear a conversation taking place between a particular pair of Sky Knights. Feeling a bit mischievious, Piper let her smile widen as she leaned a bit closer to listen.

Piper was able to recognize Aerrow's voice immediately. It was unmistakable. "-that there would be some clue to who might have done it. There has to be something."

Starling's voice was just as distinct, but had a more serious tone to it. She didn't even sound like herself that day. "I'm sorry to say there isn't, Aerrow. I even had a few representatives from the Sky Council meet me on the terra to help out with the search. We've been searching for some kind of lead for almost a week now. There's nothing."

It was evident in Aerrow's voice that he was also feeling dispirited at that point. He paused for a moment before responding,"If there's nothing helpful on Terra Rex, then why did you tell Piper to set a course? We might just be wasting our time."

Piper couldn't ignore the shiver that ran up her spine or the tingling feeling she felt when Aerrow said her name. She actually began to get very angry with herself for letting the red-haired Sky Knight have that effect on her. She had spent so much time, so many painful years, constructing her mental barrier, keeping everyone out, building her tough girl facade, but by just saying her name, Aerrow could make all of that go away. It irked Piper to no end.

Starling's voice wavered as she continued,"I was just hoping that... Well, your squadron is notorious for... you know... defying the odds."

Aerrow chuckled at this and replied,"We'll do what we can, Starling."

Piper was beginning to become agitated. If she had just gotten to the kitchen a few seconds earlier, she might have been able to actually know what they were talking about. She pressed her ear even closer to the wall, hoping to pick up on what they were discussing.

Starling laughed along with him and let out a small sigh of relief. "Thank you, Aerrow. I really owe you for this one."

"No problem," he said. It sounded as if their conversation was over.

The teenage girl on the opposite end of the heating system was about to pull away from the vent in disappointment when Starling's next words suddenly echoed back through the system. "Oh, and Aerrow?"

"Yeah?"

"Just do me a favor." Starling lowered her voice significantly. Piper was forced to press her ear even closer to the wall to hear what she said next. "Do _not_ let any of the citizens of Terra Rex know that their Sky Knight and his squadron have gone missing."

_The Rex Guardians_. Piper held back a gasp and put a hand to her mouth in shock. The Rex Guardians were a strong, highly experienced squadron. She had always thought that they would be the last team to ever go down. How could they just suddenly be gone?

Aerrow's voice remained firm as he said,"I won't. I'll tell the rest of the team when we get to the terra."

And then their consultation was over. After a moment, Piper moved from her kneeling position and merely sat on the floor in front of the vent in shock. The Rex Guardians- _missing_? Piper was sure that her stress level had finally reached its peak. She pressed a cool hand to her now throbbing right ear and tilted her head back, resting it on the vent. She closed her eyes slowly, trying to clear her head.

"Piper?"

Piper's eyes flew open as she heard an all too familiar voice echo through the hallway and into the kitchen. She had forgotten that Starling had even asked her to set a course, and now Aerrow was coming to make sure she was doing what she was supposed to do! The girl knew that she was doing the exact opposite.

Quickly rising from her position on the floor, the girl hastily pushed the kitchen table back into its original position as she heard Aerrow's footsteps coming closer and closer. Acting as if nothing was wrong, she opened the refrigerator and shifted her weight fully to her right side, acting as if she was looking for something to eat.

Aerrow entered the kitchen soon after and raised an eyebrow at her questioningly. "How's that course coming?"

Piper turned to face him with a mocking glare. "So now you _don't _want me to eat?"

Aerrow's laugh filled the room as he looked at his navigator. Piper only grinned at him, happy that she could make him produce such a beautiful sound. She closed the refrigerator and moved towards the door, intending to return to her room to set the course for Terra Rex, but Aerrow stopped her, catching hold of her arm with a firm grip. Piper looked up to meet his emerald eyes.

Aerrow looked away for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck before speaking. He always seemed to do that when he was nervous. A moment later, he looked back at her slowly and with a weak smile, saying,"Piper, I'm sorry I let Starling just order you out of the room like that. It was wrong of me."

Piper looked away, blushing. She suddenly felt bad for being disappointed in him. Looking at the floor, she replied,"It's alright, Aerrow. Really, I'm fine. It was probably just... Sky Knight stuff..." She refused to tell him that she hadn't forgiven him. Repeating her thoughts to him out loud wouldn't help anything.

Not letting go of Piper's arm, Aerrow gave her a crooked smile and said,"Thanks for understanding, Piper. I promise I'll tell you what that was all about as soon as the rest of the team gets here."

Finally meeting Aerrow's eyes, Piper nodded. After an awkward silence with the two just staring into each other's eyes, Piper finally tore her eyes away from his and said,"I guess I should go set that course."

Aerrow finally realeased her arm. "Okay. I'll see you around then."

Piper nodded once more and wasted no time exiting the kitchen. Although it was invisible because of her dark skin, Piper was blushing fiercely as she walked back down the hallway and into her room.

* * *

Within the next hour, the _Condor_ was refueled and back in the sky. Junko and Finn had come back to the ship fully satisfied, having spent the whole time they were on the Wayside at the diner. Stork was, again, at his usual position, piloting the _Condor_. Starling and Aerrow stood at the main window, discussing unknown topics in hushed whispers.

As for Piper, she merely stood at the main table of the bridge, staring into space. It was out of her character, for she was a person who seldom wished to waste time, but yet there she was, pondering nothing in particular. She had set the course for Terra Rex, recharged the crystals for the engine, and done her duty as the maid of the ship, and now all there was left to do was wait to arrive at their destination. As much as Piper hated to admit it to herself, doing nothing- absolutely _nothing_- was nice.

Of course it didn't last long.

Aerrow's voice rang throughout the airship over the intercom system, alerting everyone on board. "Attention, everyone, meeting on the bridge."

Slowly the rest of the Storm Hawks began to congregate. Piper, Aerrow, and Starling were already on the bridge and at the table immediately after Aerrow's announcement, but before Stork could join them, he took his time setting up the autopilot for the _Condor_.. Radarr scampered into the room next, nimbly climbing up onto his leader's shoulder and nuzzling him fondly. Junko and Finn arrived simultaneously, trudging lazily to the center of the room to join their teammates. They looked as if they had both just awoken from an afternoon nap.

As soon as everyone had arrived, Aerrow allowed Starling to proceed. She nodded and began in a strong voice, "There has been an incident on Terra Rex, and our help is needed immediately."

Finn grunted in disgust. "You mean that terra with the big buff guy who thinks everyone should wash their hands?"

Starling glowered at Finn in annoyance, but answered his question anyway. "Yes, Finn, that's the one." She continued,"The Rex Guardians have recently... gone missing."

Piper tried her best to look surprised, but Finn's expression beat hers by a mile. His mouth hung agape and his already big blue eyes grew even larger. "Are you serious?" he asked dubiously. He paused for a moment before an expression of sheer joy spread across his face. "Yes! It's about time that that guy was put in his place!"

It was Piper's turn to glower at Finn as she smacked his arm scornfully with the back of her hand. She ignored Finn as he rubbed his arm tenderly and glared at her as she looked back at Starling and said, "You were saying?"

Starling continued, "We should arrive on Terra Rex in about ten minutes to help search for any clue to who might have been responsible. The squadron disappeared about a week ago and I am hoping that any clue that I may have missed the first time I investigated might still be there."

Finn sighed. "Do we _have _to?"

This earned him another smack from Piper.

Finn shot another glare at Piper. "Ow! Aerrow, tell her to stop!"

To Piper's happiness, he only ignored this and Starling went on. "I'm asking each of you not to let any of the citizens of Terra Rex know anything about this. As far as they know, the Strom Hawks are only watching over the terra while the Rex Guardians are at a tournament on a foreign terra. It wouldn't help at all for them to know that they are currently defenseless, and we don't want to worry them."

There were nods all around, which were returned by Starling's own brisk nod. "Prepare to land. Be ready for a terra-wide search."

With that said, everyone went their separate ways, going to their rooms to prepare for what was to come, or, in Finn's case, just to return to his nap.

Less than ten minutes later, just as Starling had said, the Condor landed on Terra Rex.

* * *

**I know it's kind of boring right now, but look on the bright side- I actually came up with a plot! WHOO!**

**Thanks for reading and R&R. I love to hear from you!**

**- Elli**


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